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Large queues could be seen from the early hours of Saturday at the Grand Palace

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The official period of mourning is a year

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Vigils for the king continued into Friday evening

King Bhumibol earned the devotion of Thais for his efforts to help the rural poor and was also seen as a stabilising figure in a country often wracked by political turmoil. Thailand remains under military rule following a coup in 2014.

But critics argued he had endorsed military takeovers and sometimes failed to speak out against human rights abuses.

The crown prince, who is 64, spends much of his time overseas and is much less well known to Thais.